Top Cop Promotion Process Not Ready
Borough Council holds off on introducing draft ordinance, forms subcommittee to study options.
A draft of an ordinance spelling out the process for appointing the chief of the Madison Police Department was not ready to be introduced at Monday's meeting, and a subcommittee of council members will study possible models, Mayor Bob Conley said.
Borough Council members Robert Landrigan, Jeannie Tsukamoto and Carmela Vitale will be on the subcommittee, he said.
Madison resident Tim Harrington, commenting on the draft ordinance, said he didn't understand why a scoring system outlined in the draft, which awarded points for applicants' experience such as education and military service, awarded the same number of points regardless of whether the applicant was a colonel or a sergeant in the military. The scoring only took into account whether someone achieved the rank of sergent or higher.
Conley said the governing body came to the same conclusion that the draft was not ready.
Tsukamoto said in an interview she would be reconsidering all aspects of the law.
The draft of the ordinance said only officers with more than 10 years experience as full-time Madison police officers were eligible, and promotions would be open to members of the next two lowest ranks unless the governing body wanted to open the search to the next lowest rank.
In the draft, a written examination, oral examination and record review and interview with the governing body would count for 35 percent, 35 percent, and 30 percent of the candidates' overall score and the candidate with the highest overall score would become chief.
Larry Bruce
9:18 am on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Yeah, why would they have a process ready? They've only had about 6 months notice that this was coming.
If Mantone is not qualified then who is?
Robert The Bruce
12:15 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Why not ask your favourite Borough Employee, as the Borough Code gives him responsibility for the MPD!
§ 34-3. Designation of appropriate authority.
The Borough Administrator shall serve as the appropriate authority, as the same is defined in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118, to whom the Police Chief shall be directly responsible for the efficiency and routine day-to-day operations of the Police Department.
Seems like the office of the Borough Administrator should be up on this sort of thing.
Patchisarag
12:34 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Which Borough administrator are you referring to since we have two that are paid over $250,000?
DidUReallyJustSayThat
11:28 am on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Here's a better idea - Given all the issues at the MPD lately, why not bring in a fresh set of eyes? Hire a public safety director for a couple of years. Someone with a law enforcement background from outside of Madison could provide a new perspective.
Local police departments become very insular because they are small and only promote from within, which gives them a very small talent pool to select from.
When the only choice is between two people, in many cases the "better" choice may not be what's best for the community.
http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20120912/NJNEWS/309120027/New-public-safety-director-start-90-000-position-Monday?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
Polly
12:48 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Why is the borough so against their police department? I am waiting for one of the council members to need help and a outside assistance has to come increasing time till help arrives!!! Maybe...one of the borough administrators can be chief. When will this town start realizing, they are destroying the like-ability of the town!
Larry Bruce
4:41 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Why? Maybe because they have to pay them and they don't like to pay for anything.
Barry Luce
5:01 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Did the borough announce that they were going to continue to appeal the arbitrator's decision?
Jake Remaly
7:19 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
They won't be appealing the decision. The arbitration award is it. I will post an update, should have done that sooner.